Name as a designate of culture in traditional and contemporary Yorùbá society of Nigeria

Abstract

Names are cultural indicators used to identify or designate a person or an object. There is an abundance of literature on the naming culture of the Yorùbá society. However, to the best of our knowledge, none of these works have adequately provided a functionalistic approach to naming among the Yorùbá. This article assesses the sociocultural functions and cultural implications of Yorùbá names in traditional and contemporary Yorùbá society. Employing the functionalist theory, the article argues that traditionally each Yorùbá name serves a specific sociocultural function. However, owing to the current encroachment of modernisation on the contemporary Yorùbá society, the values in the names are fast eroding. In the light of this, the article emphasises the need for Yorùbá people to take a  restoration stride to the point of origin where the originality and the true essence of Yorùbá names lie.